Abstract: It has become an important theoretical and practical project in China' s political development to increase the channels for political participation, encourage effective political participation, improve the systems of political participation and to promote more orderly political participation by the citizens. Political participation involves action or behavior on the part of the citizen or citizen groups to influence the decisionmaking, formation, operation and regulation of the political system. Orderly political participation is to affect the decisionmaking and running of the political system by the citizen or citizen groups in a legal way and through institutionalized channels for political participation. Orderly political participation should be lawful, orderly, rational and moderate, which are the four criteria for evaluation.

Key words: political participation, orderly political participation, lawful, rational, basic principles